


Fading

by Picross3D



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Basically, M/M, Rewrite, and nico over exerts himself, nico and will go on a mission
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-21 16:39:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18706207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Picross3D/pseuds/Picross3D
Summary: Will and Nico go on a rescue mission, but Nico forgets he doesn't know when to quit.A rewrite of an old fic of mine!





	Fading

**Author's Note:**

> HI! Wow, its been a while since I've posted the original. Anyway, thanks for reading!

Nico nods quickly, then says "We'll be there soon."  
The iris-message dissolves, and my boyfriend reaches for his sword. Its always striked me as rediculously big and alarming, and it's almost funny compared to how small and unthreatening Nico looks.  
Before his hand connects with the hilt, I grab it and pull it towards me. "Nope. You're sitting this one out. Doctor's orders."  
He rolls his eyes at first, which reminds me of the pale, purple bags underneath, but scoffs when I don't let go of his hand.  
"Dude, c'mon, I'm fine."  
I stand up, putting on my 'serious face'.  
"No, you aren't. When was the last time you slept? Ate something?"  
When he doesn't reply and stuffs his unheld hand in his jacket pocket, I sigh.  
Putting on a smile, I pull his hand slightly towards me and suggest, "Hey, why don't we go nap on the couch or something? This Hermes kid smuggled in a laptop, we could watch Netflix if you want-"  
Then, my vision goes dark and I feel weightless, as he pulls me through shadows by my hand.  
Nico Di Angelo doesn't know when to stop, even when he hurts himself doing it.  
But, it's part of why I love him, I guess.

When we drop into a shady back alley, Nico collapses into me.  
My stomach drops as I support him. His breathing is shallow, but still present.  
"Gods damnit, you never listen, do you," I whisper under my breath.  
He starts trying to push me off, but I dont let go of him.  
"I'm fine," he says as if it's true, "I'm fine."

We start walking, together, toward the entrance of the alley. On our left is a rundown apartment building, with barbed wire hung on top of the gate. A small park is across the street, and my pulse races for the second time when a few dogs sprint through it. They're chasing after a kid, and I know instantly thats our target.  
I point at the park, but Nico is already shoving me off. He stumbles for a second, but stands up with his sword drawn.  
We start running to the park, and the dogs morph into hellhounds. Three, enormous enough to scare Mrs. O'leary.  
The kid, who looks terrified, has bite marks along his arms, whuch I connect with the hellhounds.  
I pull out my bow, and aim an arrow at the slowest hellhound's neck. It connects, and with a sharp whine the beat disintegrates.

The other two freeze, then turn to look at me.  
With a deep rumble, one charges toward me, and the other howls loudly in place.  
I run at the charging hound with an arrow knocked, but at the last second it stands on its hind legs.  
In suprise, I shoot the arrow upward, but it lodges itself in the shoulder. The hellhound slams its paws down, and I fall backward.  
After nothing happens for a second, I look up to see Nico blocking the hound with his sword.

He grits his teeth, then pushes it back. I roll out from behind him and pull myself to my feet.

"Thanks babe!"

Nico rolls his eyes but smiles, "And you're saying I should've stayed behind?"

I punch him lightly in the arm for retaliation, then my attention is grabbed by the other hound.

I run to the howling beast as Nico deals with the one that tried to kill me. I cut it off mid bark with a kick to the head, and it unceremoniously flops to the ground.

Unfortunately, it gets back up.

I have an arrow ready, and shoot when it starts rearing back. It lands square in the forehead, and the animal turns to dust.

Behind me, Nico viciously slashes at the other, until a well-timed hit to the stomach makes it dissolve.

He walks over to join me, and we both look around for the kid that was being chased. Nico sees him from behind a tree, and waves me over.

"Hey kid," I call out, "Are you okay?"

He leans out of his hiding place, and glances over both of us.

My heart sinks as I see how young he is, probably not older than eleven. He's shaking, and his face is smeared with dirt and probably blood.

"Yeah," he finally says, with a shaky voice, "I'm ok."

I put a hand on his shoulder and say, "Why don't you come with us, we'll make sure you don't get hurt."

Nico hands him a small square of ambrosia, then as he stares at it dumbfounded, he says, "Eat it. It'll help you heal."

The kid does, and I start walking with him to a bench. He sits, so Nico and I start talking.

"So, now what?"

Nico shrugs. "I could shadow travel us back to camp," he suggests.

"All three of us? No, you arent doing anymore underworldy stuff right now, we can take a bus or something like normal people."

I look around us. "Where even are we," I ask, "New York? Detroit?"

Nico looks at me, slightly angry. He starts gesturing with his hands as he talks.

"I'm not helpless! I can handle doing stuff!"

I sigh. "I know you can!"

"You aren't helpless, but it would be better for all of us if you didn't accidentally kill yourself by doing this stuff. I don't want you to get hurt, Nico!"

His eyes soften a bit, then we're interrupted by a rustling in the trees. I pull out my bow, and Nico pulls out his sword.

Another hellhound sprints through the park toward us, but I stun it with an arrow, and Nico decapitates it.The rustling is still audible, though.

Then, everything goes to shit.

Three more burst through the trees, and more come in from the sides. The kid on the bench screams, and I stand in front of him protectively.

I shoot a couple from a afar wile Nico handles the rest up close. I hear him cuss as he gets tackled, and I shoot the beast in the back.

When he gets up, covered in gold dust that likely won't wash out, he shouts, "We've gotta go NOW." I nod, and grab the kid by his wrist.

"C'mon, we'll take you somewhere safe."

We run through the park, with a growing pack of hounds behind us. When we reach a water fountain, another hound pops out from behind it.

Nico slashes at it, but sweat is lining his forehead, and he's getting tired. It bites at hin before he can dodge, and he blocks the teeth with him arm. The huge fangs sink into his jacket, and he grunts in pain.

Ok, now I'm pissed. I let go of the kid and jump at the shitty dog. I take my bow, with the celestial bronze string, and hook it around it's neck.

It rears back, and makes a choking sound. I give a final yank, and the bowstring slices through it's neck.

It crumbles to dust beneath me, and I fall to the ground. "Are you okay," I ask Nico instantly, as I get up. 

He grunts, and clutches his arm to his chest. "I'll be fine, it just hurts."

I put a hand on the arm, and he lets me take it. I roll up his sleve, and I'm met with a bloody mess.

I pull out a canteen of nectar, and pour it over the bite marks. Nico sucks in air through his teeth, then sighs when it starts healing. The pack if hellhounds starts growing closer, and I turn toward it.

I pick up my bow and start to knock an arrow, but the bronze string is torn and close to snapping. Dropping it, I unsheath a small dagger.

Then, Nico steps in front of me. "Will," he starts, "you and the kid need to go."

"What, no I'm not leaving you."

He rolls his eyes. "We don't have time for this, I can hold them off." Before I can interject, he stretches out a hand.

The ground starts to shake.

He doesn't have the freaking energy for this.

Bones start protruding from the ground, and Nico sways where he stands before falling backwards.

I catch him, but he's pale. So. Pale. I fumble for his wrist, but I can barely feel it, much less his pulse.

Pulling him up and holding him to my chest, I watch the intimidating army of skeletons attack the hellhounds mercilessly, but all I can think is how unnecessary that was.


End file.
